


Forget-Me-Nots

by softmuseums



Category: Moominvalley (Cartoon 2019), Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime 1990)
Genre: First Kiss, Flower Crowns, Fluff, I don't know what other tags to add, Language of Flowers, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Returning Home, Snusmumriken | Snufkin Has Paws and a Tail, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, its very gay trust me, moomintroll is no better, snufkin is a gay mess, snufkin returns from winter!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2020-05-15 05:08:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19288795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softmuseums/pseuds/softmuseums
Summary: Snufkin returns with a gift.





	Forget-Me-Nots

The sun was barely over the horizon when Snufkin had decided to start on his gift. Moomintroll had been so kind to him last winter, and sent him off with a spare journal to write about his travels. Instead, he used it to press all sorts of different plants, one from down south that he knew his friend wished to see. He'd completed it not too long ago, and planned to give it to the sweet moomin, along with a crown of flowers. He knew the other hadn't been sleeping well last winter, and it was most likely the same this year. Hopefully, it'd cheer him up.

 

There he sat on a log, mulling over the pile of flowers laid in his lap. He had been braiding them together, trying to make haste, but being careful it wasn't sloppy. It didn't need to look perfect, he told himself, but just enough. Just enough for his dearest friend.

 

“Oh my, oh my,” he said to no one in particular, as he twisted together a few forget-me-nots. “I hope it’s not too obvious. That Moomintroll. . ."

 

The petals were the same lovely blue as his eyes, Snufkin first noticed. They were rounded, much like he was, and held the same sort of beauty. The thought made his cheeks flush, but at the moment it didn't matter. He was alone, after all, in the middle of the woods.

 

He knew the meaning behind them. He's known the language of flowers as long as he can remember. Moomintroll knows this, of course he does. It'd be quite unlike him to forget. Snufkin also knew that Moomintroll didn't know what they meant.

 

Well, he had that, at least. He wouldn't lose his best friend (at least not _now_ ), for not being able to keep his feelings in check. He couldn't, wouldn't imagine what would happen if he ever found out that the mumrik was head-over-heels for him. He just knew it wouldn't be pretty.

 

The mumrik would only have to act nonchalant while giving the present. It wasn't any big deal. Just a small gift, to show his appreciation. He thought he was quite good at that, being able to keep himself under check, even though Little My liked to chip in and tell him otherwise.

  
The trek to the bridge was short, he'd stopped only a few minutes away near a little grove he and Moomintroll liked to visit. It's where he'd gathered the flowers, after all.

 

Snufkin paused, taking in a deep breath, giving himself to relax. He shuffled for his mouth organ, pulling it out of his smock's pocket, and then began to play this year's spring tune.

 

This was one he was rather proud of. His wish under the new moon didn't seem to go to waste, as the tune was exactly as he wanted it. It was one part melancholy, two parts longing, and the last of the joy of solitude.

 

Moomintroll was waiting on the bridge, just like every year. Every year, Snufkin would return with a new song from the south. Every year, he'd walk down the same path, as his dearest friend waited on the same bridge. Every year, he'd come back with more stories to tell and new experiences to share. And, although you could never make him admit it, he loved every second of it.

 

Moomintroll scrambled up as soon as the first note rang out. His tail thumped loudly against the wood, a big, goofy grin making its way on his face. He'd been waiting on the bridge for _hours_ , not having to been able to sleep the night before. How could he, when his most favorite person was coming back from over _6 months_ of being away?

 

He stayed still until he saw the familiar green coat and hat of his friend.

 

“ _Snufkiiin_!” The troll took off into a dash, shouting at the other with delight. He moved a bit quickly and stumbled at the edge of the bridge, almost falling face-first until he caught himself.

  
He didn't let that deter him, and went off running again towards his friend, albeit a bit more carefully. He didn't need to embarrass himself further.

 

Snufkin had thrown off his pack by the mailbox (he’d made sure to set the crown on top, being careful not to ruin it), before he met the other with a running hug.

 

“Oh, my silly Moomin,” he smiled, before he found himself being engulfed by furry arms. A laugh burst out of him, the other lifting him up almost effortlessly and spinning him around. Snufkin threw a hand to his hat, the other around Moomin's shoulders as he returned the embrace.

 

“Snufkin!" The troll beamed, unable to control the giggles bursting forth. "You’re finally back!”

 

"So I am," Snufkin smiled back, as he was set back on his feet. The two didn't part until nearly half an hour later.

 

"I have something amazing to show you," Moomintroll grinned, pulling away the slightest bit. Snufkin lifted his head from where it rested on the other's shoulder, waking up from whatever daze he was in before. He swallowed down the disappointment he felt when Moomintroll broke the hug.

 

The vagabond sucked in a breath when he saw the look on the other's face. It was so cute and full of _affection_ , he could feel his heart skip a beat. "Oh?"

 

"Yeah! I found it yesterday with Little My and Snorkmaiden. Sniff’s still asleep, but you know how he tends to sleep in for a week." Taking ahold of his paw, the troll gently started to pull him towards his pack. "We should probably set up your camp first, though. Oh, how was your winter?”

  
Oh, how he missed this. Moomintroll was always so sweet and loving. He didn't think he could take much more of it, to be honest. He thought his heart might explode. “Long. I found some interesting places, and met a few intriguing characters. But I'll tell you about that later. I'm sure you have quite a story to tell. How was yours?”

 

His paw felt remarkable cold when the troll let go, but he took it as a sign to go forth and grab his bag. He made sure to hide the crown behind his back, and even managed to inconspicuously dig the book back out.

 

“Quite the same. Oh, I have such an exciting story! It happened this winter, in fact"

 

“Really?” He grinned, letting Moomintroll lead him to where he'd normally set up his tent.

 

“I woke up in the middle of winter this year, again. Do you know Too-Ticky? I told you about her last year. Oh, that reminds me, she came to visit us the day you left! But this winter, Little My and I saw the Lady of the Cold."

  
“Yes, I remember. She's with Mumble, one of my sisters, if I remember right." When they got there, he set his bag on the ground, but kept the gifts hidden in his hands as he turned to face the other. He’d managed to grab out the book before the other got suspicious.

 

"The Lady of the Cold?" He gave the other an over-exaggerated look of shock, the kind he _knew_ he was looking for. Still, it’s not like that’s no-big-deal. Snufkin’s rather impressed, if he did say so himself.

 

“Yes! Little My tried to go right up to her,” he paused, his ears perking up when he saw the other hiding something, a curious expression on his face.

 

Snufkin held out the book, a shy smile present as he instead chose to look at the ground. "Here," the wanderer shuffled his feet nervously once the other took them, "it's a bit of something from my travels, I thought you'd quite like to see them."

  
"Oh!" The other's face lit up, an almost blindingly cute grin on his face when Snufkin stole a glance. He felt his heart leap into his throat and knew his face was most definitely beet red at this point. How could someone stand to be so breathtaking?

 

“Oh, Snufkin. . ." He'd taken to flipping through the pages, almost losing a few flowers when he opened it. "It’s wonderful. Thank you."

 

He felt something being set on his head, and looked up to see the other pulling his hands back. "There," Snufkin smiled, in the way he'd always smile, with his eyes crinkling in the way Moomintroll loved. "They suite you."

 

˚✧₊ . . .

 

“They’re forget-me-nots, right?” Moomintroll looked down to the other, who was currently curled into his side. Not that he minded. Never, in a million years, would he mind this. He treasured anytime he had being able to be this close to Snufkin.

 

They had set up his tent a few hours back, and were sitting on the bridge, watching the creeps as they splashed in the river.

 

“Right,” Snufkin nodded, watching a few birds take off in the sky. “Someone on my travels told me a story about them, and why they're called forget-me-nots." He felt the other rest his head on top of his own, humming something for him to continue. Oh gosh, if that didn't make his stomach flip. . .

 

“Well,” he did his best to keep his voice steady, which was quite hard because his dearest friend thought it to be a grand idea to curl his tail around the tramp’s. “I-if I remember right, they got their name from a knight. He’d seen a fair maiden by the riverside, and picked a few flowers for her. He tripped and fell in on his way over, and since he wore only armour, he couldn’t get out and sank to the bottom. He’d tossed over the flowers to her before then, and cried out, ‘forget me not!’. She named them as such in his honor.”

 

The moomin nodded, closing his eyes and not being able to see the emotional turmoil he caused the other. “What a sad story.”

 

“I suppose.”

  
Snufkin let out a deep sigh, relaxing against his friend and smooshing his face against his soft fur. Moomintroll was always so warm and nice, he thought, much like a pillow. He'd quite like to take a nap, and he was certain the moomin wouldn't mind. It seems his travels were finally starting to catch up with him.

 

"Hey, Snufkin?" He spoke out after a few hours of silence, the two having instead chosen to lay on the grass by the tramp's camp. Said boy glanced over, giving his paw a small squeeze when he saw the hesitation on his face.

 

“You know the language of flowers, right?” Upon seeing him nod, the troll continued on. “Well, Mr. Hemulen gave me a book on it, last spring. . .” Oh.

 

Oh.

 

 _Oh_.

 

It felt like his entire stomach sank, as a wave of ice cold dread spread through his body. His breath caught in his throat, and he couldn't stop the look of shock from showing on his face, as he instead took to looking back at the stars and away from Moomintroll. An absolutely _horrifying_ thought made itself show.

 

He knew everything. He knew everything and was only humoring him these past few hours, before telling him to leave the valley forever and to never come back.   

Oh, what a fool he was. He should've been more subtle, and now Moomintroll _knows_ and he's going to lose the best thing to ever happen to him because he can't keep his emotions in check. No more midnight swims, no more staying over and drinking hot cocoa when it was stormy out, no more sitting in fields of flowers for hours on end just to enjoy each other's company. . .

 

"Yes," he mumbled after a moment, plastering a smile over his face for Moomintroll. Maybe there was still a chance he could fix this. "I. . . learned it quite a while ago."

  
"Ah." The other nodded, before lifting the crown off his head with one hand to look at it better. Snufkin bit the inside of his cheek, dreading the next bit of conversation. Hopefully, _hopefully_ , he won't ask anymore and he could pretend this never happened.

 

After Moomintroll was satisfied with his little investigation, he set it back atop his head, and turned to look at the other. Snufkin risked a glance back, before freezing up.

 

Oh, how beautiful Moomintroll looked right now. The mixed light of the moon and his campfire behind them lit his fur _just right_ , and his eyes. . . oh, his lovely blue eyes seemed to reflect the entire galaxy. Two of his most favorite things, right in front of him.

 

"Snufkin," he said after a moment, catching the other's attention. Snufkin's face flushed once he realized he was staring, and- had Moomintroll gotten _closer_? He shook these thoughts off, looking back at the stars he adored so much.

 

" _Snufkin,_ " Moomintroll repeated, scooting even closer to the flustered mumrik. He looked back at him, and- oh, he'd _definitely_ gotten closer. Snufkin felt like if his face had gotten any more red, he'd surely just melt into a puddle at this point.

 

His face was mere inches from his own, and it took everything in the nomad to not just kiss him right there and then.

  
It seemed his friend had the same idea, and he nearly exploded when he felt his paw on his waist, pulling him closer against him. There was still some sort of hesitance, Moomintroll giving Snufkin the option to pull away or get up if he wanted to. He didn't.

 

"Moomin," Snufkin mumbled, gently running his hand over the other's cheek. The other smiled at him in such an affectionate, loving, and fully _Moomintroll_ way, as if that alone didn't wreck his whole world.

 

Oh lord, he was so in love with him. Everything about him was so _perfect_. He was so soft and good and kind, and he was the only one who could make Snufkin's head go fuzzy, his heart feel like it's about to burst. . .

 

"Snufkin," he leaned in a bit closer to the other, who did not mind in any sort of way, at all. "Can I kiss you?"

 

Oh, this was it. He'd die right here and now. There's no way he could make it to tomorrow, not with such an adoring moomin here, in his arms.

 

" _Absolutely_." And then he did.

 

Maybe he could survive, if only to be able to kiss Moomintroll more.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> OH BOY HI THANKS FOR READING!! 
> 
> i didn't mean for it to be this long i swear
> 
> this was also supposed to be for snufmin week but. i'm bad at finishing stuff in time
> 
> edit: I FORGOT TO ADD the meaning of forget me nots is true love!!


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